The president of Lokomotiv refused to name the players, or at least the matches that he plans to watch on his Brazilian business trip. If we talk about club football, then there is nothing to watch there now. Before the start of the Brazilian championship for a couple of months, the clubs have just left their vacation and are beginning to gradually take shape in the barely swaying championships of their own states. The most interesting thing on the continent is now happening in Paraguay, where the South American championship among football players under the age of 20 has gained momentum. And the Brazilian national team, having won three spectacular victories at the start, is his clear favorite. Of particular interest are four of its leaders.
LEANDRO LIMA
The 19-year-old playmaker San Cayetano is the most creative person in the middle line of Brazilians. In the first game, he twice hit the Chilean gates, and in the match against Peru he gave an amazing pass to Lucas, who opened the score. He is a team player, but the second goal against the Chilean team demonstrated that Leandro Lima, in fact, sometimes doesn’t need partners to excel. He himself is able to win the ball, leave behind three or four opponents and, breaking into the penalty area, deliver a decisive blow. And the hit by Leandro Lima is incredibly strong and accurate, which is why he is not shy about hitting from the most unexpected distances and from both legs (see video).
At the end of the last Brazilian championship, this native of Fortaleza was interested in the largest clubs of Rio - Botafogo, Flamengo and Fluminense. For some reason, there is no doubt that after this South American championship clubs of more impressive ambitions will come to him. If Loko needs ideas to refresh the game in midfield, then Leandro Lima is undoubtedly one of them.
ALEHANDRE PATO
The youngest player in the youth team of Brazil (born September 2, 1989), however, is today its most famous representative. His brilliant game at the victory for the team from Porto Alegre the world championship among clubs has already aroused keen interest on the part of Milan and Chelsea.
Teenager’s career is developing extremely rapidly. In the main part of “Internacional”, Alexandre Pato made his debut ... November 26, less than three months ago. The Libertadores Cup winners won 4-1 that day, and Duckling scored a goal and made three assists! Further more. Pato excelled in the first game of the club world championship, hitting Al-Ahly gates in the semifinals. The young striker did not stop at this, and in the final game against Barca, he regularly strained the Catalan defense with his actions.
In the debut match of the current South American championship, Alexandre Pato came on as a substitute in the middle of the second half. It was enough for him ten minutes to close the lumbago of Willian and with a mockingly aesthetic strike with his heel once again to break through the goalkeeper of Chilean Leyton.
Alexandre Pato has a luxurious technique: in a match with Al-Ahly he struck the ball with his shoulder at speed (see video), and in one of the matches of the South American Championship he showed a similar dribbling, stuffing the ball with his head (however, the patent for this dribbling belongs to another Brazilian child prodigy - Carlon ). In addition, he is not bad, despite modest anthropometry, plays with his head and is equipped with a cannon strike from the right.
Alexandre Pato is able to act on the entire front of the attack. And today it is the most intriguing talent in the junior team of Brazil. It’s scary to imagine what transfer cost can be won over by its mighty Duckling “Internacional”, but it is worth daring “Loco”. In the end, Daniel Carvalho at the time of moving from this club to Moscow was quoted no lower.
LUCAS
This is the most “adult”, probably a Brazilian youth player, already today (and not in the future) is ready to strengthen many European clubs. Even those with “no black” colors are not just a white footballer, but also a blond with a completely Scandinavian appearance. The 20-year-old midfielder Gremiu has already visited Kaka, Ronaldinho and Daniela Carvalho. Dunga, who knows a lot about oporniks, gave him a chance in the second half of a friendly match with the Kuwait club and was pleased with the debutant's game. It is logical that the coach of the Brazilian juniors Nelson Rodriguez entrusted the captain's armband to Lucas.
The second round match against the Peruvians was a real benefit for the Brazilian G8. Lucas scored both goals of the team that won 2-1. In the case of the first goal, he made an impressive breakthrough on the right flank and, receiving a perfect pass from Leandro Lima, shot through the Peruvian goalkeeper Daniel Reyes. Performance unusual for the representatives of his role generally became a habit of the 20-year-old midfielder. In last year's Rio Grande Do Sul Championship, he scored three times.
Lucas is a striking representative of the modern formation of the defensive midfielders. He is one of those who knows how to ensure the transition from defense to attack, without overexposing the ball, and has not only the first, but also the last pass. Emerson seems to have a worthy successor.
CARLINOS
CSKA has been showing a steady interest in Karlinios lately, but the purchase of Erkin Dzhaner apparently closes the Santos lateral to the army club. But the railroad may well compete for it. In any case, he appears to be a more versatile browner than the same Finigno.
Despite his youth, Carlinhos has already held 28 official matches for Santos and scored 2 goals (one of them scored in the goal of the Goyas club, see the video - after hitting a 19-year-old lateral, the score in this match was 2 :one). At the ongoing youth championship of South America on the account of Carlinhos already two assists. And the “standards” of left-hander Carlinhos from the right flank - one of the main chips of the team Nelson Rodriguez.
In addition, Yuri Semin could take a closer look at two stately forward forwards - Edgar from São Paulo, something elusively reminiscent of Jo, and Luis Adriano from Internacional, who, like Alexandre Pato, already scored goals like in a club championship world and in this youth championship of South America. Among the Brazilian central defenders, Eliezio from Cruzeiro, who plays very well with his head, regularly goes to someone else's penalty box with standards and, despite his young years, already has legionnaire experience behind him (played in the Japanese Urava Red Dimons), is above the others.
Almost certainly this team will leave the tournament ending in late January with gold medals. I would like to think that Semin and Fuzaylov will not return from their South American voyage with anything.